Wreck of one of Italy's largest ships from the 16th century found - video

The shipwreck of the Santo Spirito e Santa Maria de Loreto, a storied galleon and one of the largest Italian merchant ships of the 16th century, is believed to have been found in the waters off the Ligurian coast near Genoa.

Responsible for locating the wreck are a pair of Italian divers, Gabriele Succi and Edoardo Sbaraini, who together run the Rasta Divers diving centre in nearby Santa Margherita Ligure and have already found other wrecks in the region. They made their remarkable discovery in February, during a dive at a depth of around 50 metres. For the sake of the find, the whole matter has only now been announced.

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After realising the importance of their discovery, the men immediately notified the relevant institutions and the site was protected and placed under the archaeological supervision of the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Tourism.

“Even in this period of isolation, our sea is an inexhaustible source of discoveries that open us to different spaces and periods. Thanks to this unique discovery, with the coordination of all services and institutions, the research will enrich our historical knowledge,” said Francesco Olivari, Mayor of Camogli

The wreck is in very good condition, which is unprecedented considering that the ship Santo Spirito e Santa Maria de Loreto sank on 29 October 1579. If its identity is finally confirmed, it will be the first discovery in Italian waters of a ship from this period with an intact wooden hull.

The research team is currently focusing on trying to finally identify the unit. Given that the archaeologists have already had a while to carry out preliminary research and documentation, we may soon have the first results of their work.

The Italian media are reporting the discovery of ceramics, coins, navigational instruments, cannons, anchors and many other objects of daily use on ships of the period. These discoveries offer a rare opportunity to look into the past and provide an opportunity to broaden our knowledge of the world of the time, boatbuilding and nautical art.

^{Source: ansa.it}